Joy is a time traveler: it catches God’s future vision for justice, peace, and restoration and superimposes it on the present landscape. Joy celebrates the future as if it’s already happening while getting down to work to make it a reality. It can coexist alongside other experiences, even sorrow and pain. Joy ebbs and flows, […]

Sometimes we settle for peace as an absence of violence or tension. John the Baptist and other prophets call us to a more robust peace: one that brings safety, refuge, and rest to the vulnerable. Peace enacts justice, and it requires the hard work of constructing new roads through the wilderness. (Barne Geese) Accompanying Scripture:Malachi […]

Our culture often speaks of hope as either a Pollyannaish positivism or a measured optimism. Viewed through the lens of the cross, hope becomes an agent of empowering transformation instead. It does not deny suffering. Hope acknowledges that the present conditions are desperate, and it depends on God, with whom nothing is impossible. Hope is […]

We often define justice as people getting what they deserve, but Jesus shows us a kind of justice that is more interested in what is necessary and loving than in what is fair. Jesus’ justice is ridiculously unbalanced: the Human One takes all of the hits, and humanity gets all of the benefits. Once we’ve […]

“Great is thy faithfulness!” sings a favorite hymn. We encounter God’s faithfulness whenever God meets us in baptismal waters, in bread and cup, in the word proclaimed, and in sins forgiven. On the other hand, our culture often frames faith as something we force into existence by sheer willpower: “Just have a little faith!” If […]

Widows are visible everywhere in today’s readings. Jesus denounces those scribes who pray impressive prayers but devour widows’ houses. He commends the poor widow who in his view gave far more than the major donors. Jesus doesn’t see her simply as an object of compassion or charity. She, like the widow of Zarephath who shares […]

On All Saints’ day, we remember loved ones who have died. In worship we will name out loud each loved person we have buried in the last year. In our scripture readings we are reminded that our grief, our tears are sacred. Together as the church we celebrate God’s hope and promise of resurrection for […]

This week’s gospel starts with disciples obsessing over who will be closest to Jesus, leading to Jesus teaching his followers about God’s take on importance and power. Here Jesus makes it explicit that the reversal of values in God’s community is a direct challenge to the values of the dominant culture, where wielding power over […]

The rich man who comes to ask Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life is a good man, sincere in his asking. Mark’s gospel is alone in saying that Jesus looked on him and loved him. Out of love, not as judgment, Jesus offers him an open door to life: sell all you […]

This Sunday we celebrate the bright and beautiful creation we are a part of and live with on a daily basis. We remember all of creation matters, even the mosquito. We recommit ourselves to be a careful steward and together with God, we build a hopeful future where all thrive.  Accompanying Scripture:Romans 8:18-25, Psalm 96, Mark […]